Towards an understanding of the preparation plants
Workshop with Jürgen Momsen and Jean-Michel Florin
We have been working with the herbaceous preparation plants - dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, valerian and stinging nettle - and their task on the farm.
On the first day, we began by drawing seedling plants of yarrow and chamomile under the guidance of Torsten Arncken and then experiencing their scent. In a third step, we tried to sketch the various scent impressions using coloured pastels before then describing them. Later on, the scent of the flowers was also transformed into similar sketches. These resulted in quite new and colourful impressions and strong experiences of these well-known medicinal herbs.
On the second day, we formed ourselves into so-called 'ex-pert groups' for the five preparation plants - five groups were created who were charged with the task of understanding the morphology and development of one preparation plant each, using prepared plant material, and then sharing what they had discovered with the other groups. So we presented ourselves and the plants to each other and compared them step by step in terms of their leaves and leaf metamorphosis, shoot and root development, and the development of their flowers and seeds.
On the third day, we sought to arrive at a complete picture of the plant from the various single features: We addressed dandelion, chamomile, yarrow, valerian and stinging nettle individually and asked what they wished to say to us. We then changed our focus away from the plant itself to the context of their environment and the landscape in which they grow. Where do the preparation plants grow on the farm, which work do they represent? Chamomile occurs on the field and in the garden where intensive soil cultivation is carried out. Dandelion belongs to the meadows and pastures that are well manured and have an intense grazing regime. Yarrow occurs on the open herb-rich grasslands with more extensive grazing. Valerian is found in moist areas with plenty of water available. The oak belongs to the permanent woodland and hedgerows. Wherever there is plenty of humus, adequate moisture and sufficient shade, the stinging nettle will make itself at home and engage in its task of working raw loose humus into the soil. Each one of these 'soil healing plants' therefore has its own specific habitat and allotted task within the farm organism.
Even more exciting questions will arise if we try to introduce the preparation plants into a large farm in the process of conversion or to an old traditional vineyard. What gifts do they wish to bring? What do we need to change and how in order to make it possible?